"Accountants can be an important source of advice for small business owners. That's why Bizfi has partnered with the National Directory of Certified Public Accountants," says Stephen Sheinbaum, CEO of alternative lender Bizfi. "But there are many other places to find good people to talk to, such as the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), a free mentoring service that is supported by the Small Business Administration."

Bank loans unsecured by collateral are relatively rare, even for those with good credit. In addition to securing a loan with a mortgage on your home or other asset, be ready to be asked to put your own money into the deal, typically about 20% of the amount needed. Even with healthy businesses and solid collateral, most bank loans to new franchisees occur when a borrower has established relationships with a banker, or has previous experience, or is a figure in the community. If that’s not you, consider a loan backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

The idea here is to get clear about what’s important to you, where exactly your passion lies, and what the point of the whole venture is. As a small business owner, it’s easy to get caught up in the minutiae of paying bills, writing the website copy, changing the website copy several dozen times, filling out tax forms, and so on. Don’t lose sight of the big picture.
2. You can do it because there is a business appropriate for just about everyone’s interests, experience, passions or expertise. “Starting a business” really only comes down to figuring out your business idea, doing your paperwork, and sorting out the money. Given the number of funding resources available today, you shouldn’t have too much of a problem getting that initial startup cash, especially if you focus on a lean business model or MVP route to market.
Aira, business debt is a different animal than consumer debt. It’s one thing to go into debt buying nice furniture, big tvs, vacations, etc. It’s another thing to go into debt to get bulk inventory discounts, finance equipment, expand restaurant seating, or anything else that will turn $1 of debt into $2 of revenue, for example. That’s what business loans are typically used for.
Fundation (see our review) is another high-quality alternative lender that provides capital to franchise businesses. Fundation has some of the lowest rates and fees you can find outside of a bank or credit union, offering up to $500,000 deposited in your account within a couple weeks after applying. However, the borrower requirements are more stringent than those for other some online lenders, as you’ll need good credit, one year’s time in business, and at least three full-time employees.
And don’t forget that unlike their independently-owned competitors, franchise owners don’t get to choose when to schedule expenses or which suppliers to work with. Their business model might have been passed down by the franchisor but it’s up to the franchise owner to figure out how to grow the business without endangering profits or failing to cover mandatory expenses.
Your first option is to change your business model to demand fewer needs as listed above. For example, if you were planning on starting a company as a consultant or freelancer, you could reduce your “employee” expenses by being the sole employee at the start. Unless you need office space, you can work from home. You can even do your homework to find cheaper sources of supplies, or cut out entire product lines that are too expensive to produce at the outset.
Despite the relatively easier access to capital that a franchise owner enjoys, there are many different elements to think about before purchasing a franchise. Each franchise is operated differently and will come with its own set of operating and start-up costs. When considering pursuing franchise business financing, here are a few things for you to think about:
Shelton recommends meeting with a loan officer a few weeks to a month ahead of time to personally meet the loan officer and find out if the bank is currently interested in lending the type of loan you are looking for: “You want the loan officer to be on your side,” Shelton explains, because the loan officer usually doesn’t have the approval level to say yes to a loan.
Franchise businesses serve as the backbone of the restaurant and retail industry. A successful franchise often starts as a small local business that catches the eye of savvy investors. Starbucks, McDonald’s, Walmart and Whole Foods are just a few of the many corporations that started as small mom-and-pop operations and were later franchised into nationwide networks.
Venture capitalists tend to start investing at $1,000,000, and they prefer to invest in high-growth and high-risk businesses. High-growth investment means the venture capital investor would see a return in 3-7 years by selling the company or going public. Venture capitalists tend to require a large amount of equity in your business, including a position on the board of directors.
One noticeable trend in most businesses of all kinds today is technology. Workers and business owners cannot deny how it has influenced and advanced the world of commerce. In particular, technology has made it easier for franchises as they need sophisticated systems to manage the complexity of their trade. By their size, even the smaller franchises require this approach. Thus the most significant concept observed among franchises is software that is not installed on a computer, but instead consists of the web. The point of this approach is to take all the software programs usually equipped with a company’s personal computers and move them to the internet. There, they are presented in a single and secured environment accessible from any Internet-connected device, be it a tablet, computer, or phone. Examples of this development can be found with software solutions such as Nextstep Systems, Hello Scheduling, VST Inc, and Steller Restaurant Solutions to name a few. Still, internationalization of franchises continues to be a strong trend within the industry. Many countries are always willing to pay large amounts of money to use western trademarks along with the training and knowledge that come with the territory. Over 400 franchises are operating internationally, proving to be a thriving option. Furthermore, the Franchise Trade Commission also facilitates business deals for American companies abroad confirming the demand for an American disposition.
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Small businesses have a tougher time getting approved due to factors including lower sales volume and cash reserves; add to that bad personal credit or no collateral (such as real estate to secure a loan), and many small-business owners come up empty-handed. Getting funded takes longer than other options — typically two to six months — but banks are usually your lowest-APR option.